Juvenile diabetes strikes about 15,000 children every year under the age of 20. Currently, the United States has over 200,000 of these children that daily struggle with this disease. Contraction of diabetes requires the afflicted to frequently monitor blood glucose in order to avert long-term damage to their kidneys, eyes, and feet. However, there are no known blood glucose testing devices currently available that provide or incorporate any motivation or reward mechanisms to encourage the individual to continue this testing regimen. Because the majority of the diabetic population is adults, most commercially available glucose testing meters are designed in such a fashion that is not user-friendly or socially acceptable to children. This causes children to shy away from blood glucose testing in a social setting. This anti-social aspect could endanger them to episodes of hypoglycemia, hyperglycemia, and or insulin shock, among other short-term and long-term problems.
Abstinence from regular blood glucose testing, for any reason, can have a devastating impact on the long-term wellness of the diabetic adolescent and contribute to significant increases in future health care costs. There have been many articles written and scientific studies conducted about incorporating motivational stimuli into medical testing procedures. Many positive outcomes have been realized and the increased testing compliance has been achieved. See, for example, Lieberman, Debra, xe2x80x9cHealth Education Video Games for Children and Adolescents: Theory, Design, and Research Findingsxe2x80x9d, paper presented at the annual meeting of the International Communications Association, Jerusalem, 1998, which is incorporated herein by reference.
Researchers in the field of diabetes are exploring technologies and methodologies to perform non-invasive glucose blood-level monitoring in type I and II diabetics. Currently, there are two popular types of technology used in determining blood glucose levels that are found in the majority of home glucose monitoring devices. The first is the colormetric type, and the second is an enzyme/current differential device. The colormetric method requires placement of a small blood sample on a chemically treated test strip. The amount of glucose in the blood changes the color of the chemically treated test strip. A differential measurement is then taken from the test strip without a blood sample and compared to the color of the test strip once the blood has been placed on the strip and a finite testing period has been allowed to elapse. The enzyme/current differential method determines proper blood glucose by determining the amount of current change that takes place when a glucose blood sample is placed on the test strip, using e.g. biosensor technology. An enzyme coating of the test strip directly affects the electrical resistance of the test strip. With both technologies, proper glucose level is determined by comparison of either the color properties or the electrical current change in the test strip.
One of the most difficult challenges in the glucose testing device market has been to develop a glucose-testing device that does not require a small capillary blood sample. The xe2x80x9cnon-invasivexe2x80x9d approach would become a huge commercial success because it would eliminate the element of pain associated with extracting a blood sample and increase the frequency of blood glucose testing.
It is public knowledge that one of the non-invasive approaches that could become commercially available is using a series of EKG/EEG readings, associated with a host of complex algorithms to determine blood glucose levels. It is not believed, however, that there are not any commercially available products incorporating such technologies and/or methodologies, although a commercially viable EKG/EEG glucose-monitoring device may soon become available. It is also believed that due to this research, other new products, incorporating other sensors, might become available to detect epileptic seizures and asthma attacks.
A glucose meter according to an embodiment of the invention includes an input device adapted to receive physiological input from a patient. A processor is operatively coupled with the input device, the processor being adapted to produce a blood glucose value based on physiological input received by the input device. The processor is also adapted to generate an electrical signal related to blood glucose value. An output device is operatively coupled with the processor, the output device being adapted to communicate the blood glucose value directly to a user of the glucose meter. A connector is used for connecting the glucose meter to an electronic controller distinct from the glucose meter, the connector being adapted for communicating to the electronic controller an electrical signal generated by the processor. A modular housing supports at least the processor and the output device and is for insertion into or other physical connection with the electronic controller, such that the connector automatically can align with, and connect to, the electronic controller for communication of the connector electrical signal to the electronic controller to motivate or reward the patient.
According to an alternative aspect of the invention, an apparatus for encouraging compliance with medical monitoring or treatment includes medical circuitry for generating one or more medical monitoring or treatment parameters, a power supply for powering the medical circuitry, and motivation circuitry for rewarding and/or motivating a patient, the motivation circuitry being operatively coupled with the medical circuitry and being adapted for communication with an external device for communicating reward and/or motivational information to a user of the apparatus based on the medical monitoring or treatment parameters. The motivation circuitry is powered by the external device and not by the power supply for powering the medical circuitry.
According to an alternative aspect of the invention, a handheld video-game system for use by a patient includes a video-game controller for receiving game cartridges, the video-game controller comprising a first display for entertaining the patient, and a medical diagnostic cartridge constructed for receipt by the video-game controller, the medical diagnostic cartridge comprising a second display, separate from the first display, for displaying medical information to the patient. The controller is adapted to receive medical data from the medical diagnostic cartridge and to display additional information based on the medical data to the patient on the first display.
According to an alternative aspect of the invention, a method of rewarding a patient for a medical test includes generating medical test data based on a medical test, transferring the medical test data for use by reward firmware, and providing reward information to the patient, the reward information being for rewarding the patient for conducting the medical test or for rewarding the patient for maintaining results of the medical test within specified parameters, as represented in the medical test data. According to an alternative aspect of the invention, a medical testing and reward apparatus includes a medical testing device, a reward-based incentive device operably coupled with the medical testing device, and means for correlating (1) how well a patient follows a testing regimen or achieves a certain medical test result using the medical test device with (2) a reward level provided to the patient by the reward-based incentive device.
According to an alternative aspect of the invention, a glucose monitoring apparatus includes a glucose-monitoring device adapted to receive a blood sample, the glucose-monitoring device being in the form of a cartridge and adapted to accommodate insertion of a blood glucose test strip directly into the cartridge for generation of glucose values. Interactive and motivational software are incorporated into the cartridge. The apparatus includes a storing device for storing the glucose values, a hand-held controller for receiving the cartridge, the hand-held controller using the stored values and the interactive and motivational software to interact with and motivate a user of the apparatus. A transmission device is operably coupled with the hand-held controller to transmit the stored values to a remote location, according to one aspect.
According to another aspect of the invention, a method of medical data transmission includes using a medical monitoring device in the form of a cartridge to generate medical data, connecting the cartridge to a cellular telephone, transmitting the medical data by a pre-existing cellular telephone network to a remote location, and transmitting a message from the remote location to the cellular telephone to provide direct feedback regarding the medical data. According to aspects of the invention, the medical data is blood glucose data and the medical monitoring device is a blood-glucose monitoring device.
These and other aspects of the invention will be evident to those of ordinary skill upon reading this disclosure.